Af/ricultural Imj)lements and Produce. 59 



science. Fresh sources of guano have also been discovered, and 

 new supplies of substances useful to the farmer have in several 

 places been obtained. 



It is, therefore, not without reason, that we congratulate our- 

 selves on the progress which has, within the last five years, been 

 made by that department of agriculture which is based upon 

 chemical science. 



Field Pkactice. 



The greatest improvements in cultivation and management 

 have taken place in the strong lands. Draining is the foundation 

 of all these improvements. Draining, now better understood and 

 generally well executed at a sufficient depth, has changed the 

 character of whole districts, turning unmanageable and unprofit- 

 able soils into easy-working and pi'oductive land. 



It would be interesting to ascertain the extent of land drained 

 each year, but no sufficient data exist for a reliable estimate. 

 Draining operations are carried on by means of the public loan, 

 the capital of private companies, and of individual proprietors. 



Of the public loan of 4,000,000/., the sums issued for works 

 in each of the last three years have been — 



1852 £410,478 



1853 318,637 



1854 322,728 



£1,051,843 



What proportion do the lands drained by the public loan bear 

 to the lands drained by private capital ? If this district may be 

 taken as a fair sample of the whole area of the country, the 

 lands drained by the public loan would not be more than one-fourth 

 oi those drained by private capital. In such case, tlie total sum 

 expended in draining for the last three years would amount to 

 5,257,615/., and allowing 5/. for the expense of an acre, the 

 extent of land drained would exceed 1,000.000 acres. This sum, 

 or whatever sum may have been expended in draining, will have 

 been capital supplied mainly by the pro])rietors of land. A sum 

 equal to the above in amount has been expended mainly by the 

 tenant farmers of the tliree kingdoms, in the purchase of a single 

 article of manure ; and this is not a vague estimate, but an ascer- 

 tained certainty. 



1'he sales of Peruvian guano by Messrs. Gibbs for the last 

 three years have been — 



Tons. 



1852 118,000 



1853 135,000 



1854 J 77,000 



430,000 



